Nowadays, going completely “off-grid” while camping doesn’t really happen anymore. We still want our phones, cameras, and even laptops charged up at all times. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I ain’t judging…I’m the same way!
The easiest and cheapest way to do this, is to get a power bank/power generator. Now gas powered generators have been used for decades for RV, motorhomes, and camper trailers but they are big, noisy, and stinky. The newer, cheaper option is a small battery bank of some sort but there are many popping up on the market with various capacities. They can range from 150W for under $200 up to 2000W for thousands of dollars.
I would suggest that if you are only 1-2 people needing to keep your phones, cameras and a laptop charged up, you can get by with a smaller unit. Especially if you are only off-grid for a couple of nights.
This 300W unit from GOLABS is what I could afford at the time and while I’m driving, it’s kept charged up from my van via a 12V adapter. Although more is always better, but they take up a lot more space in your vehicle, this 300W unit is so far suitable for my needs. I also paired it with a 100W solar panel to extend my power needs, which is working great.
Once again, you can find a range of power banks on Amazon and the prices do range.
Again though, if you are only going off-grid for a few nights and only need to charge a few mobile phones, a camera or two, and a laptop or tablet, you should be fine with a 500W unit or less. My 300W unit when paired with 100W of solar panels has so far gotten me by just fine.
